A PILOT STUDY TO EVALUATE ROLE PLAY AS A TEACHING METHOD TO UPDATE NURSING MENTORS IN PRACTICE

Aim:
To evaluate the impact of scenario based role play as an active learning and teaching approach to update nursing mentors' knowledge, communication skills and problem solving ability

Objectives:
• To measure the extent to which the session has enhanced mentors' critical thinking and confidence to manage challenging scenarios
• To identify perceived benefits or features of the intervention which will enable mentors to problem solve and handle challenging conversations with students in practice.
• To evaluate the impact on mentors’ abilities to implement improvements in their mentorship practice and the quality of students' experience.

Theoretical Framework:
The paper seeks to explore the outcomes of the use of role-play as an active learning method to provide annual mentorship updates for mentors in the clinical practice area. Mentors are all adult learners and are qualified professionals from a range of nursing backgrounds. Principles of adult learning form the theoretical framework selected to underpin this paper, which considers aspects of teaching of adults from mentors’ perspectives and the factors which may contribute to mentors’ positive learning experiences.
Adult learners are likely to gain most benefit from teaching interventions, which are flexible to their needs and are designed to promote self-directed learning based on principles of adult learning. Mentors' comments reflect their appreciation of the small group learning approach and sharing their mentor experiences with other mentors from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Process:
Role playing and scenario based learning appears to encourage personal growth and development of self-awareness through the process of critical reflection. In order to embark on this process mentors are required to engage actively in discussions with their peers in class and to share narratives of their experiences. The process of seeking and sharing constructive feedback may be challenging for some students since they may be unaware of hidden assumptions or how their own values and behaviours may differ from those of their colleagues. The action of sharing and making meaning of experiences in this way is an example of constructivism ie. that knowledge is constructed by the learner. Constructivism is based on a cluster of perspectives rather than on a single theory, but the common assumption is that learning is the means by which people create meaning from experience, (Merriam and Bierema, 2014).

Conclusion:
Role play was positively evaluated by the 36 mentors who participated in this pilot evaluation study. some of the key feedback comments were:
'I enjoyed interaction as a small group and learning from scenarios'
'Role play was useful to discuss similar experiences and problem solving'
'This was my first update and I really enjoyed it and gained a lot from it'
'All the scenarios were eye opening and valuable points were raised. I feel quite confident to challenge students"
' Enhanced confidence in dealing with difficult situations'
'The scenario based role play was very useful as they were real examples'
'It was beneficial to share our experiences as a mentor and how we deal with challenging situations'
"It showed me how mentors have a responsibility to protect the public'

References:
[1] Merriam, S.B., Bierema, L.L. (2014) Traditional Learning Theories. Chapter 2, pp. 24-41 in: Adult learning Theory: Linking Theory and Practice. Jossey Bass: San Francisco